Milt's Barbecue for the Perplexed

Hidden gem in Chicago. I love to stop by when I can. Fairly priced for a kosher eatery. Parking meters suck, but what can you do it’s the city. Keep up the great work Milt’s. Also, they have the best pickles on the planet!!

If you’re craving bold, smoky BBQ with a twist, Milt’s Barbecue for the Perplexed is a must-visit. This kosher BBQ joint in Lakeview proves you don’t need pork or dairy to serve up serious flavor. 🍖 What to Try: • The “Milt’s Way” Burger – brisket chili, beef “bacon,” crispy onions & BBQ aioli • Smoked Brisket Sandwich – tender and packed with flavor • Full Slab of Beef Ribs – massive, meaty, and unforgettable • Vegetarian Options – surprisingly satisfying, especially the smoked seitan sandwich 🥗 Don’t skip the sides: brisket chili fries, hand-cut fries, and brisket baked beans hit the spot. Finish with the chocolate mousse with spicy caramel drizzle for a perfect ending. ❤️ Why It’s Special: Beyond the food, Milt’s is rooted in community. They regularly donate profits to local charities and foster an inclusive, welcoming vibe. 💬 The Verdict: Fans rave about the flavorful food, generous portions, and warm service. Just note—prices can run high, with a rack of ribs pushing $100. But for many, the quality and experience are well worth it.

If you're gonna have pricey food, at least it should be good. And normal portions. Paid $28 for a Cesar salad with chicken. Opened my takeout and got literally a small handful of lettuce and three small strips (attached picture) Insaaaane. Also the maître d was so incredibly rude, had zero patience, and crazy attitude. Do better. Have more patience and be kind, and give normal portions. It's not that difficult. Will not be returning and don't recommend. Get kosher food from the suburbs/have it delivered. It'll be cheaper, better, and kinder.

One of the best restaurants I have ever gone to. You have to try the Chili! Update four years later: Milts does nothing disappoint. If I could I would have tired everything. Brisket Chilli is still my favourite. I had the Brisket burger as a main, I would take it without the bread, the burger itself was fantastic. Really great service and really reasonably priced. BTW, had trouble finding parking and then found out they have parking lot across the street.

Staff is friendly. The drinks were okay. The food was pretty bad. There were NO ribs on the menu apparently due to a supply issue, that was disappointing if you’re looking for BBQ. The brisket sandwich was dry like DRY DRY and the sauces left a LOT to be desired. The “spicy” bbq sauce is mostly vinegar 🤢 very odd. And the mustard sauce (which ended up being the best sauce) just doesn’t go with brisket IMO. The take on cornbread was actually flavorless and hard to swallow. Very dissatisfied and for that price?! Not worth it.

Incredible meats! Really nothing else to say! There is a rib sandwich that we should have gotten! We ordered everything without the buns, and everything we had was delicious! They ask premium prices but the offerings are premium!

Super tasty sandwiches and ribs. Really nice atmosphere, friendly service (shoutout to Jordan!) and super yummy kosher food. I drove up from west loop to eat here. Happy to return!

A delicious Kosher BBQ spot near Wrigley Field. Came here before a game and was pleasantly surprised at the how well the food was cooked and the good variety they offered. Apps were also very good. Go with confidence

We really *wanted* to like this place. We were on the hunt for some good kosher eats and, based on the reviews, had high hopes. Things started off on a curious note when we tried calling ahead, only to be greeted with a message saying they couldn't answer because they were "too busy with customers." Fair enough. But imagine our surprise when we arrived to pick up our online order and... not a single customer in sight. Not even a tumbleweed. The food, unfortunately, didn't do much to turn things around. The chili was so spicy, it could've fueled a rocket launch--definitely not for the faint of heart. As for the brisket, it was dry enough to question the "cooked for hours" claim on the menu. One cup of sauce just wasn't enough to save it. And the rib sandwich? It *had* potential with some decent flavor, but the charred meat gave it a taste that veered dangerously close to burnt. Milt's descriptions of slow-cooked brisket and ribs sounded promising, but perhaps it's time to introduce a crockpot or pressure cooker to the mix because tender, this meat was not. We truly wanted to be fans, but in the end, we would've had more satisfaction from a couple of Hebrew National hot dogs. Here's hoping for better next time.

Nice place, good food and drinks and ok service! The brisket chili nachos were amazing and wings were also really good!

We're from LA and we have plenty of choices for kosher food, but this place beats most of our kosher beef serving restaurants. We had the brisket chili and beef rib sandwich with fries. Everything had a delicious smokey flavor and a little spicy heat. The heat could be too much for some so beware if you're more bland with your food. We also trued the 3 barbecue sauces and they also came with a spicy kick. Prices were amazing!!!! But again, we're from LA so our prices are much higher. Excellent service from Morgan and modern ambiance. Very clean, too!

We've walked past this place dozens of times. Then heard about their great food from a friend and decided to give it a try. The veggie burger was outstanding! Great service too. The place had a very chill family vibe. Will definitely go back and try a few other things. We've heard the vegetarian chili is another outstanding item.

Came for a work dinner with a group of 12. The number changed a few times and the staff was very accommodating to this. For appetizers we had the nachos, the wings, the empanadas, the cauliflower and the potato skins. The empanadas especially were DIVINE. The brisket was cooked just right. The drinks were decent. I had a pomegranate mojito that was very tasty, but not too strong. And then I had a Gin Fizz which was very strong. So neither drink was just right. The entrees were good, as were the portions. And for dessert, the warm cookie was divine. Was not a fan of the dairy free ice cream but that was a personal preference. Great option for people looking for a kosher meal. Service was really good and overall a good meal. Would definitely come back for those empanadas.

An extremely loyal and thoughtful Jewish client of mine (I'm Jewish too FYI) GIFTED me a certificate to have a mini feast here for Chanukah. I finally got around to using my coupon code and had a mini pig out (it was all kosher I promise). Got here around 5ish on a weekday evening and most of the tables were already pre reserved; but fortunately I found a cute table for one by the bar and got comfortable. The menu is geared as bbq comfort food and you will find an extensive variety of sides like honey baked cornbread with butter, baked beans, baked potatoes, veggies, smashed potatoes fries etc. There are brisket and chicken sandwiches, pulled meats with various BBQ sauces, hamburgers BBQ salmon etc. You will find so many options here you will be pressed to decide which one to get. I asked for a recommendation from the chef and he said the mini sliders were a good pick. I absolutely agree with his choice and it comes with a free side so I upgraded for fully loaded smashed potatoes which come with a dairy free sourcream, chives and pretend bacon can't recall all the ingredients but it's a perfect side. I also got the cornbread and for dessert chocolate mousse which is also dairy free. Everything here is Kosher and they don't mix milk with meats so if you're Orthodox you can safely eat here without breaking your code of food ethics. I really loved my meal and will definitely come back in the near future to try their other food options. Cute atmosphere and a lovely staff!

Only real kosher restaurant in downtown Chicago!!! Personally love their "bacon" which you can get on a burger, hot dog, or (my favorite) the potato skins! Also their nondairy ranch is great. I always order the chicken wings - the Buffalo ones are so good! It is a nicer but still casual sit down restaurant with dim lighting, and a few bar seats in addition to the regular tables/booths. FYI it is somehow always packed and the place is relatively small, so highly recommend making a reservation. I wish their pickup/delivery timing was faster, but I guess it's a good thing they're always so busy!

Great kosher restaurant, I was in Chicago on business and three meals there over my stay. All were great and the service and staff were great.

This place never disappoints. Love their brisket dinner, their boneless ribs, sautéed string beans and their non creamy Cole slaw! Ryan is a super friendly host when you first arrive. He and I have become friendly. Service is excellent and I am always happy with the ambiance!

The service was good but the food was bland. We had the empanadas to start and both had the brisket sandwich. Just a big meh from both of us. I had wanted to try this place for a long time because of the BBQ smell drifting through the neighborhood but it didn't live up to what I was expecting.

I had heard the food was good but let me tell you it was jus kosher restaurant good, it was and bbq place good. I had the slider trio so I could try all the meats and they were each better than the last. Loved having the choice of a side of beef bacon (so so good!) and coleslaw instead of fries. The ambience is also lovely. It's got a modern casual vibe that's comfortable but not trying g to hard. The restaurant was extra busy for a weeknight due to over 1000 Jews conferencing in The city. The staff seemed a little pressed to keep up but they kept their cool and everything we ordered was delivered hot and fast, I'd definitely recommend Milts to anyone looking for a great kosher meal, or just a great bbq meal in general. The cost was reasonable especially for kosher meats!

Huge portion sizes. Ribs were filling and tasty. As for the sides, the beans with the barbecue meat really stood out as something special. Service was very attentive to our party of 7. Great place for a family-style meal. Highly recommended for Kosher Barbecue.

This was my second visit. Hadn't been here in a few years. The first time was good, this was even better. The menu, food, and sauces seem elevated and refined since last time. Especially the brisket chili; among the best I've had. Food came quickly, but not so fast as to rush me. Service was excellent. Highly recommended!

The service was incredibly quick. The empanadas were delicious. Stopped by for a quick snack, walking through town. Worth checking out.

I forgot to mention the chicken wing starters! We ordered the sampler and it had Smoked Wings, BBQ and Buffalo. Caution: the BBQ is spicier then the Buffalo but it's amazing!!!!!

The flinstone ribs are off the charts! I liked the corn bread and slaw! The men in my party were very happy!! the sauces were also delicious!

Imagine going to UNO's pizzeria and they told you they were out of Pizza...Imagine going to a Chinese restaurant and they said they were out of rice...Imagine going to an Ice cream shop and they were out of ice cream but had lots of candy and soda to choose from. I think you know where this is headed...lol Yes I went to Milts for the wonderful delicious mighty beef ribs...I even made a reservation and I get there and they have zero Beef ribs...Hell, Why even be open??? The waitstaff informed me they are having a hard time getting them and when they do get some they sell out quickly...Now I could buy this story if they had actual long hours of operation....They are closed fri & sat and open for like 5 hours a day and no beef ribs....Once again, why be open? Anyways I didn't feel like going somewhere else so I got the half bbq chicken and beans and cornbread and some other stuff and yes it was all very very good, unfortunately I didn't make reservations online a few days ahead and used my credit card to do so risking being charged a fee to get there and no ribs in sight...But yes outside the beef ribs everything is delicious here hence the 2 stars...With beef ribs, 5 stars all day long. Btw the server said I could get the rib sandwich which is made up from left over scraps of beef ribs...Now thats a way to sell the sandwich...lol Note to customers coming for the Star of the picture beef ribs....Don't be an idiot like me...Call first

Update since the start of pandemic: which meant take-out as opposed to dining in. So the caveats to the 5 star rating are that the food will not be going directly from being cooked to table AND that it was ordered to go and meant for the following night's dinner. So here goes: Ordering on line was relatively simple. My food was ready at the time they said it would be. It was packed, as I requested, the most efficient way to keep it for the next day's dining. Covid safety precautions were taken when I went in to pick up. We ordered brisket latkes, salmon dinner, milts burger, rib sandwich- each came with sides (2 loaded smashed potatoes, 1 order of brisket baked beans), brisket chili, and for dessert, bread pudding and sufganyot. Most tasted as well as could be expected after being reheated a day later, which is to say, not as good as when dining in, but I still think their food is fantastic! I appreciate the lengths they are going to to accommodate during Covid. They are demonstrating great patience and calm, and as always, kind.

I hadn't been to Milt's since the pandemic, so I decided to order take-out. I oderered the pretzel bites and the steak sandwich from the specials menu. The steak sandwich was a steep $24 which could be justified for something exception, however this sandwich was a disappointment. While the sauce and carmelized onions were tasty, the hoagie roll was stale and hard, and the steak was terrible. The meat was a tough as shoe leather and laden with fat and disgusting gristle. Fries were sub par. The pretzel bites were very good, but the sauces were sour and not good. At $43.65 with tax and tip, I should have just went to a beef stand for a third the price and got better quality beef.

Fantastic beef nice servers good ambiance if you like sports on tv but not too loud. Funny paradoxes on bathroom walls for the talmudically challenged-lol

This was really tasty BBQ! My only qualms were the really high prices. I suppose these are partially because of the koshering of the meat. It's great there are options like this for people with different eating habits! I don't eat kosher, so the added cost was lost on me. The meat did taste great, but it was hard to tell if there was a meaningful quality difference or not. - Pulled chicken sandwich - very light, tender, and flavorful. This was great! - BBQ brisket sandwich - also delicious, and you get tons of brisket! The meat was a tad dry (could be our fault since we ate it a bit after pick up) - Loaded smashed potatoes - smooth and tasty. The beef bacon on it was an interesting touch! Overall, everything tasted great, though wasn't so different in flavor from other BBQ places that I'd regularly fork over $18 for a BBQ brisket sandwich.

I've searched high and low for good kosher BBQ. I've tried New York, Texas, Florida and California but never found anything this good. When dining in the kosher world you often see the quality of service and/or the food to be below average. At Milts both the service and food were excellent. My husband and I order the chicken nachos, a half slab of the smoked ribs with corn bread, creamy coleslaw and green beans. We washed it all down with their infused bourbon and a Bloody Mary with beef bacon, both excellent beverages. This was MORE than enough for 2 people, our hotel mini fridge is filled with the leftovers. Looking forward to coming back and trying the rest of the menu!!

I appreciate a business owner taking the time to respond to a negative review, but here I must object to the response. We called to make a reservation for that day and were told we could come by at 4:30 that same day. We have eaten at your restaurant many times, but your response didn't further endear your restaurant to us.

Hmmm not sure bout the food in this place. Glad to see there are more Kosher options my friends can dine in however food was just average and lacked oomph (aka complexity). Service was excellent and cocktails too were good. I'm not Kosher so I probably would not dine here again anytime soon. I much prefer Shallots out in the burbs.

Perfection! The staff? Fantastic! The food? Outstanding! The mission? Noble! My husband had the brisket sandwich. I snatched a taste and it was perfectly seasoned and juicy. I had the roast turkey which was a bit dry but come on, how else can you serve turkey in a restaurant? It was delicious. We are already planning to come back for lunch tomorrow.

So brought my husband here for his birthday! We had been wanting to come here for over a year. I am kinda disappointed. We are Israelites and follow dietary law. So it was exciting to know of a kosher bbq restaurant. These are the positives: Great waiter, atmosphere and drinks. These are the not so positives. We ordered empanadas and potato skins. I didn't like the empanadas the crust was kinda sweet and the brisket filling reminded me of canned chili. The beef bacon potato skins were good but the ones filled with brisket chili were not. My husband enjoyed both. I ordered the salmon with loaded smash potatoes and cornbread, it was good. My husband order a brisket sandwich with sweet potato fries and baked beans. The brisket was super dry but tasted better with the mustard bbq sauce (the mustard bbq sauce was great). Per my husband he didn't care for the bun and the baked beans had too much bbq sauce in them. I was also disappointed that they had no ribs. Really one of the reasons I wanted to come here. They were out of them 2 hours after the restaurant was opened. Over all I give them 3 1/2 stars.

All the waiters were masked and gloved -- I really appreciated that part. My brisket empanadas were tasty but just a little dry. Both the hubs and I loved our cocktails -- and we seldom drink. Large portions and nice decor -- both pleasant surprises.

This a great place for Kosher food, and has a surprisingly great vegetarian menu. Since it's a meat place, there's no dairy but there are parve options like seitan and a veggie burger. I had the barbecued seitan sandwich and it was delicious.

I have been here like 5 times in the last year with my kosher peeps and fam. First of all if you order the huge slab of ribs you should number one be prepared to have a fantastic succulent meal, number 2 not eat anything for a few hours before that and 3 realize that you are actually in BBQ heaven. Lately I have been having the bbq salmon when i go with my sister because she likes it and its good. Not sure if its on the menu or not but when i ask for it i end up getting it so either way I'm covered. I love the way they bbq here the different flavors. The Chef is very talented like the kosher Bobby Flay only he ways 200 lb's less :) I feel that this place should try for the great american bbq challenge on the food network if they tell them cook without bacon , pig or any non kosher ingridients. Do not pass this place up. It;s quite an experience. You should have a reservation a few days in advance to eat at a time that normal people eat because the secret is out. It aint no secret. Have a fantastic meal here. Even the hot dogs have an awesome extra flavor

First onsite restaurant dining experience since this madness started in March. Outdoor setup is decent, tables lined up along the street. Every precaution taken, no paper menus, QR codes used instead. Waiters wearing gloves and masks, very cautious. Tried a variety of items, and best by far was brisket empanadas. Fried cauliflower had a nice batter and crunch, appetizer size bacon is generous and tasty. Got chicken nachos which were large but nothing special, Rib sandwich was a bit disappointing as I was expecting more flavor from the ribs. More of a dry rub bbq kind of place vs bbq sauce smothered. Washed all that down with the blueberry punch (contains vodka) which was delicious. Snall Giving this a 3 as there was nothing that made me say "I can't wait to come back here" yet nothing that would refrain me from going again. It's just sort of a "meh" bbq place. Service was great though, and that surely counts for something!

Amazing food, great prices and so high quality! Milt's is a great place to take friends and family. We ordered delivery from Milt's and it was very prompt and easy to order online. We love Milt's! The "nosh"Ville hot chicken and the loaded burger was sooo good.

This is one of my favorite kosher restaurants in Chicago. The ribs are excellent and you must try the Brisket Burger!

I was so looking forward to trying out this place. I figure with a name like "Milt" how bad could it be? Well.. it wasn't bad but it definitely wasn't good either. Weekday visit, about 5PM. Place is easy to find on a busy street. Was greeted nicely and seated quickly. Wife and I both saw that the drink specials, written on a chalkboard towards the kitchen, showed they had a "Summer Kolsch" beer. I love this Cologne, Germany special and try out different Kolsch beers whenever the opportunity comes up. This beer was warm!!! Yuck. My wife even asked the waitress if she could have some ice to "make my beer colder". She didn't get the hint and just got the ice with no other comment from the waitress. Appetizer: We had the potato skins. I actually liked them but feel they would be better without the fillings they put in them. I was really looking forward to the BBQ ribs but when I saw they were lited as "MP" for the price I was bold enough to ask what the price was. Waitress goes on to tell me sheepishly that they were $120 for the dish and explains about all the supply issues and covid problems, etc etc.... We ended up getting the rib sandwich and the steak sandwich. Now I know kosher meat is really not known as the best meat around and this place did not disappoint. The meat is horrible. Grisly and tough, dry and flavorless, overcooked and sliced poorly. So sad. After a few bites I told my wife that I was done and ready to leave. She had maybe 2-3 bites and agreed. Now when a waitress sees someone asking for the check and 80% of their dish is still sitting there they usually ask if everything was ok or something, This time... crickets. Actually, I wish I really had crickets as they probably would have tasted better. All in all... I was highly disappointed and wish the restaurant well. I understand they donate all their net profits to charity which is a huge example in charity. Good luck to them.

I have been thrilled another new restaurant to open in the Lakeview area. Milt's BBQ for the Perplexed restaurant just opened this week. After reading the great reviews, I was really excited to try this kosher restaurant. I was certainly let down with this new restaurant - details as follows: The restaurant is beautiful with white walls and green tiles. There is plenty of natural light due to the west wall of windows. Even though the dining room was busy, it was not noisy - a very relaxing atmosphere. I had stopped in on Sunday, late in the afternoon between the rain drops. I was greeted by the hostess, who was very pleasant. There are three areas of seating: at the bar, in the main dining area or at the counter. I decided to sit at the counter, which is a window view overlooking Broadway. Best people watching area, personal opinion. Kristen, was the server, greeted me with the pickles (everyone receives) shortly after I was seated. I declined since I'm not a pickle eater, however, they did smell good. I just ordered a coke. When Kristen delivered the soda, I had placed my order. I decided with roasted chicken breast and I had substituted the mashed potatoes instead of the fries. Couple of customers that was also sitting at the counter had received their meals - the burger and a salmon. Both meals looked great. Approximately, 20 minutes after I placed the order, I had received the chicken breast and the mashed potatoes - see the photo. The small chicken breast was actually good. The potatoes were on the drier side; however, I did eat them. Kristen checked in on me once with another soda. During my meal, the host staff (Peter) was setting up the seating chart for the evening. Over hearing the conversation, there was one confusion with one of the reservations since it was misspelled. All of the reservations are hand written. Suggestion - always call to verify your reservation before arriving. After I was completed with my meal, Kristen presented the bill without asking if I was interested in desserts which I was. According to the menu, desserts are offered - ask the server. Kristen didn't know if they were offering any. She let me know that they were offering a warm cookie and another dessert and which I don't remember. At the same time, I had questioned about the dry potatoes, if the potatoes are suppose to be this dry? She didn't know and she'll send the manager over. Dan, manager on duty, stopped over and I asked him about the potatoes, which he did verify the potatoes should not have been served. He offered to take off the potatoes off of the bill, however, it was part of the $12 meal - chicken breast and mashed potatoes. He offered the warm cookie for the dried out potatoes. Eventually, I had accepted the dessert. This part just put the cherry on the top....At the counter, I believe there are seven settings. An empty chair, then two more guests that were also finishing, an empty chair, then I, then an empty chair, another customer, then two more empty chairs. As I'm finishing my dessert and checking my phone, three people came in they were instructed they will need to sit at the counter. The guest to my right stated, "He'll move to his left and since he is leaving (pointing to me) the guests will be able to sit. First of all, I was not ready to leave yet. Number two, the hosts said nothing regarding the situation. I had felt so put on the spot, I didn't get a chance to sign my bill. I just grabbed by jacket and left. The host staff (Peter and a hostess) said NOTHING to me on the way out. Would rush back to this neighborhood restaurant???? I hope no one else will receive this treatment.

Like others said, this isn't the best BBQ in Chicago, by any means (!), but it may be the best KOSHER BBQ restaurant in Chicago. This is important, because when I get together with an Orthodox Jewish friend of mine for a meal, it's always a hassle to find something that both of us will eat. Usually, my friend is consigned to eating just a salad with no dressing and some water. Not very satisfying. So we've had some pretty decent meals in Kosher restaurants in and around Chicago. And Milt's was on the list. So today we went. We were the first customers on Mother's Day when they opened at 11:30. The restaurant is nicely decorated, and the options on the menu are up to par with any good BBQ restaurant (minus the pork and the cheese, of course). Our waiter, Doug, who was attentive and helpful, was patient as we decided what we wanted. I ordered the rib sandwich with creamy coleslaw and extra side orders of fries and baked beans. My friend got the brisket sandwich and a side salad, and also ordered both the BBQ sauce and the salad dressing on the side. While we waited, there were delicious house-made pickles to munch on. The one BIG bummer was that there were TVs on the walls (including one directly over my friend's head) showing sports, that were distinctly audible throughout the restaurant. I am somewhat hard of hearing in places with a lot of background noise, and I was having trouble hearing my friend. So we asked Doug if the TV directly above us could be muted. He said he'd ask the manager. Surprise of all surprises: the manager refused to mute the sound!!! Now, really, who the HECK goes to a fairly nice restaurant (not a bar) on midday on Mother's Day in order to watch AND listen to mediocre irrelevant sports?!??! Who goes to ANY restaurant (other than a sports bar) and wants to hear the sound of sports during their meal?!? HELLO!!! Ever heard of "closed captioning"?!? They did turn it down a bit. But the sound was distracting the whole time to me, and I simply couldn't believe the manager's gall at denying my request, especially since I mentioned that I was having trouble hearing my friend. Indeed, this seemed to me to be rude, tone deaf (pun intended!), and self-centered, because, looking around the whole restaurant, the only person who seemed interested at all in the TV sound was the manager. (Lots of family groups with Mom's celebrating; lots of kids.) Personally, I take this as fireable offense for a restaurant manager (and I hope the Milt's management takes this under consideration). The food was delivered very quickly, which isn't too surprising since the food was mostly already prepared and just had to be heated and assembled. It was very good, if not great. The fries were meh: not crispy, not hot, and not special in any way. Plus it seemed like a PALTRY amount of fries for an extra $4 side order charge. The baked beans (with brisket) were very good: as good as any I've had anywhere in Chicago. The creamy coleslaw was good: crunchy and fresh. It didn't have a whole lot of flavor, but would serve the function of cleansing the palette. My rib sandwich had rib meat, off the bone (probably yesterday's ribs), on a nice french roll, with a spiced aioli that was good (but a bit too much black pepper). The sandwich almost didn't need any additional sauce. My only complaint (if you can call it that) is that the aioli was too strongly spiced, such that adding any of the three BBQ sauces was pointless. (However, I seriously don't think the sandwich was worth $24!!! Where do they come up with these prices?!? I'd say, maybe $12.) My friend enjoyed the simple, unsurprising, side salad with a balsamic dressing, which was maybe appropriate as a substitute for fries, but, again, certainly wasn't worth a $4 extra charge. The brisket sandwich came on a toasted pretzel bun, which was good, and (again) with sauce on the side. Without the sauce, the brisket had almost no taste. The three sauces (sweet Kansas City style, mustardy Carolina style, and a vinegary spicy sauce) were absolutely necessary to making the sandwich edible. WITH any of the sauces, I could eat one right now. We both drank diet coke. The bill without tip was $62. That's not bad for DINNER for two at a BBQ restaurant. It seemed excessive for lunch. All in all, the experience was decent. The food was better than some available BBQ in Chicago, and certainly not bad. If I kept Kosher, I'd go here regularly. But given all the other options available to us Goyim, and given the ridiculous response to my request that the TV be muted, I doubt I'll be going back.

I recently ate dinner here with my daughter for the first time. I was pleasantly surprised that the food was delish and the service was excellent. I had the barbequed chicken and she had the brisket chili. Everything was very good and I took half my dinner home and ate it the next night. Even though we are not kosher, I enjoyed eating here and look forward to going back. You will not be disappointed.

Ok, look to each his own, you know? But I have no idea what some of these other people are whining about. The food was outstanding and plentiful. The price was just right and the employees were super friendly and made the experience complete. We left the place stuffed and completely satisfied. By the way, the pickles are amazing. Brisket sandwich? Thumbs up. Chicken wings. Thumbs up. Even the French fries, terrific. I highly recommend this restaurant. I'm one happy fat guy. Thanks guys. Please open a location in Los Angeles. Please.

The place: my friends from New York said this place seemed so much nicer in terms of interior decor and ambiance than the kosher establishments they go to in New York. It seemed welcoming, with a hint of chaos. Even on a Monday night, it was packed with an eclectic crowd. It was pretty awesome to see a kosher place bursting at the seams. Our server was awesome, and everyone was really nice and let us wait until a table opened up. We showed up without reservations, and there were about 8 seats available at the bar/counter, but we wanted to sit at a table. We probably waited 20 minutes. The taste: during our 20 minute wait, we share the beef bacon over our first round of cocktails. I don't eat bacon, but man. This side dish they offer, with the three sauces was freakin phenomenal. Wet with grease, salted appropriately....supremely awesome. In small amounts, of course. We ordered the Romanian char dog with chili (thick, juicy, flavorful, and messy), half rack of ribs and the veggie chili with corn bread. Everything was delicious, including the company. The only real reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because the first mixed drinks we got were super diluted (I'm still not 100% sue there was alcohol in them). I would give it 4.5 stars if I could. My face: flushed from the cocktails (a vodka soda, followed by a sidecar), but smiley and content. Left stuffed, with a slightly less stuffed wallet, as the meal for 3 was $130 pre-tip. Three of us each had at least 2 cocktails though, so that probably accounted for at least $50 of the meal. Overall, metzuyan (excellent) job Milt's. I'm pretty sure my friend from New York is going to come back to Chicago the next time he is craving meat.

I think they were having an off-day. I have gone here before and haven't had an issue. I went for my mom's 65th birthday. My mom ordered their $70 ribeye steak. My wife ordered the salmon. I ordered the pulled chicken sandwich. They did not ask my mom how she wanted her steak done, and it came back well-done. Thankfully, she liked it like that and thought her steak was delicious, but if it was for me, I would have sent it back. I'm not going to pay $70 for a well-done steak, and the fact that they didn't even ask cofounds me. Again, I'm assuming this was an off-day because every restaurant I have ever been to would ask how you want your steak done. My wife's salmon was undercooked. She sent it back and they made her another one, and she liked it. My chicken sandwich was flavorless. This was a bit of a bummer because every time I have come here before I really liked the food. I hope this was a one off, but this experience really was a downer. Our server was perfectly pleasant though, no issues there. Just pay more attention to the food next time.

Poor in all respects. The BBQ chicken sandwich was thinking, overcooked, and downright disappointing. The fries were cold/undercooked as were the green beans. And sadly, and this comes from a relative BBQ sauce connoisseur, they had possibly the worst BBQ sauce I've ever had. On top of all that, they got our order wrong, completely forgetting one of our meals. I will never come back and I recommend you look somewhere else for food.

My wife and I are Reform Jews so pork, shellfish, etc are definitely part of our diet. Our friend who recommended the three of us have lunch here is an Orthodox Jew so those items are definitely not going to end up on his plate. I was a little skeptical that a kosher barbecue restaurant could be good but this was. My wife and I split the brisket sandwich and the turkey club. The brisket was succulent. Soft, tasty, smoky. Perfect. The turkey club was also good. Again, a really nice smoky taste. The fries and coleslaw were also excellent, although the fries were the better of the two. Coleslaw is good, but how good can it get? Fries can be disgusting, decent, good, or YUM. These were YUM. Slightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside with a nice, mild, potato taste. Would I go back? Definitely. What would I order? Anything with the brisket.

My little sister and I stumbled in here decked out in rainbow attire post Pride parade and it became the happiest accident of my month. I got the nachos and my sister the brisket sandwich. But first, the pickles. I want a while jar. (Can you buy a whole jar?) Flavorful, slightly sweet, and they complimented our meal perfectly too. The nachos were huge, definitely for sharing. My sister really enjoyed her sandwich. Our waiter brought out three sauces (versions of a bbq, mustard, and ketchup) for her to use. I stole a few of her fries and they had a good crispy to fluffy ratio. I wish I could have tried a cocktail. I did ask for a drink menu, but I never got it. It was fairly busy though, so I didn't mind too much...just was a little bummed. Overall, I'd definitely go again and recommend you try it if you're a fan of bbq. Very yummy and a great menu.

I was disappointed with every part of my experience with Milt's. Our first interaction with our server was him coming to our table and saying "OK, have you had a chance to decide what you want?" This seemed rude, but making it worse was that he was checking his cell phone constantly behind the bar and seemed to be the only server working on a busy night - service didn't match the price. The bartender was very friendly and came over once we got settled in to say hi and get our drink order. We arrived hungry so we started with a basket of chicken tenders to dip in Milt's three sauce offerings. The tenders were so overcooked and dry that they had to be smothered in sauce to make them edible. We didn't finish them. Not wanting to spend $50 on a half slab of beef ribs, I decided to try the turkey dinner. Smoked turkey sounded good. It seemed like it might have been ok until they threw the three slices of slightly overcooked turkey onto a grill and dried it out. Afterwards, it was covered in a gelatinous gravy that tasted like it came from their food service vendor. At a BBQ place, I would have loved it to be accompanied by BBQ sauce. The "smashed potato" was basically a baked potato that was smashed into a pile on a plate. No one ate more than a couple fork fulls at my table - I was hoping for fluffy, buttery goodness and rather got something that looked picked-over and partially-eaten. Looking around the room, we weren't the only ones avoiding them. Green beans were the high point of the meal and they were just ok. We all had leftovers but refused when offered a to-go box. For me, that's a first at *any* BBQ restaurant. Overpriced and bland, I'd say stay away unless you're desperate for below-average shabbat-friendly food or just going in for a drink.

I never wrote a review in my life till now. I want to start off by saying I heard the food was amazing. Me and a group of friends were staying in Chicago for the weekend and were looking for a nice Friday night shabbot meal caterred to our hotel. I knew something was wrong when I called the restaurant in advance and the catering manager yessed me to death. I really wanted to make sure that I had enough food for 14 men so to be on the safe side I ordered for 18 men. Little did I know that the food I would eventually receive would be good enough for 6 men. I couldn't even call to question our food because the restaurant closed at 3:00pm. Mind you this meal cost $600. It was so sad we had to order non kosher pizza that night. I know kosher food is expensive but this was ridiculous. They claim we received our order but the food packaging was not as advertised on their website. If anyone ends up ordering from this place be ready to get ripped off.

Okay here's the deal: the atmosphere is nice, and the prices are really affordable, but that's pretty much it. The food just isn't that good. Our meat and fries came quickly but weren't hot. The grilled vegetables were undercooked and very hard. Pretty much all the food tasted like "decent wedding food". Like mass produced and catered. Not the sort of quality you'd expect from a sit down restaurant. However I must point out that the service was great and the prices were really inexpensive. Almost oddly cheap. So I guess it makes sense why the quality of the food isn't that great. Also, 100% of the profits go straight to charity so I can't hate too much. We left unsatisfied but not furious because our bill was rather low and they were nice. Bottom Line: If you're in the area and need a quick kosher bite, maybe give it a shot but I'd recommend getting their cheaper food like their sandwiches as opposed to their pricier food such as ribs so it'll be less of a disappointment. Beer and side dishes are $4 which is great too.

I came back for a second visit with a friend who keeps strict Kosher. We came on a random night and it was packed (yay Milt's!). We were seated within a few minutes despite it being really busy. I ordered the brisket chili and I am literally still thinking about it (this was probably a month ago). It's perfect. Spicy, thick, tender pieces of brisket, and a good portion, especially for the price. I want the recipe! It goes perfectly with a massive chunk of cornbread on the side. I'll be back here just for the chili. I'm never going to order something else! Seriously -- try the chili! Even if it's 90 degrees outside, you will enjoy it. My only only only piece of criticism is that when it is *that* busy, the tables are very close together, and you can really hear others' conversations. This is of course the case with many other restaurants, but when couples are going on awkward first dates, it makes you feel just slightly uncomfortable. But that's part of the Milt's experience!

I'm not Kosher nor am I Jewish. My kosher Jewish friends brought me here a few times. Ehhhhh. Overpriced and nothing spectacular. The only thing I will eat here is the brisket chili with fries, which actually is quite tasty.

Horrible service. Sat at a table for 30 minutes while only 1 other table was seated in the entire restaurant. There were 2 waitresses, 1 bar tender, and a very rude hostess and no one came to take a drink or food order. Unbelievable!

I visited Milt's today for their first lunch service--and second day of operation--so, my review is graded on the curve. First: YES, the hours listed on Yelp! are correct. They close at 2pm on Fridays and don't re-open until 7pm Saturday. That's really putting your money where your faith is, considering the neighborhood's traffic pattern. Diners are welcomed with a batch of complimentary homemade pickles. Their bread & butter pickles were spot on today. As was the vinegar-based slaw and the roasted root vegetables side. The Q is served with three sauces: Memphis, Carolina, and Kansas City. All were great renditions. Now, here's the problem with the spare rib entree (pics posted in the gallery). My "half-slab" portion size was three ribs. One rib literally--seriously, literally--had no edible meat on it. It was dark and smokey, but zero meat. No, really. None. (Betcha it would've made a killer stock, though!) The second rib had a bit more. The third rib is exactly what the other two should have been. A good amount of meat, deeply flavored with smoke. When my server checked in, I told her about the first rib and she rounded up a complimentary fourth rib that was downright FLINTSTONE-IAN in size. It seems like there's a huge variation in these ribs and, for $29, I would've been very, very,....uh, what's Yiddish for very?....dissatisfied with my initial serving. If the other meats are as flavorful as my third and fourth spare ribs, they should be wonderful choices. Expect the usual growing pains that go with new restaurants. I was the only diner when I sat down at 11:15am. By the time I left, the place was packed. I counted 26 adults and 6 kids in there for their first lunch service. Sidenote: Watching the crowd at Milt's--and the significant number of yarmulke-sporting 20-something men who stopped in for carry-out menus--reminded me of my under-fed lust for nice Jewish boys. I may have to visit the bar here late Saturday night.